Definitions

(noun) valve
(noun) powerful family; influential group

Etymology phono-semantic

gate

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 阀 (traditional: 閥) is a phono-semantic compound. Its semantic component is the outer radical 门/門, meaning "door" or "gateway", while the inner component 伐 provides the phonetic element. Originally, it referred to a physical pillar or merit board displayed outside a door to publicly showcase a family's achievements, social status, or military honors. As such markers were typically associated with highly influential and wealthy families, the meaning extended to denote powerful lineages, elite social cliques, or influential factions. In modern technical usage, the character was adopted as a phonetic and conceptual translation for a mechanical valve, which controls the flow of liquids or gases in a system.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个门已经坏了。

Zhège fá mén yǐjīng huài le.

This valve is already broken.

请检查一下那个门。

Qǐng jiǎnchá yīxià nàgè fá mén.

Please check that valve.

需要定期维护。

Shuǐ fá xūyào dìngqī wéihù.

Water valves need regular maintenance.

控制了那个地区。

Jūnfá kòngzhìle nàgè dìqū.

The warlord controlled that area.

对经济有巨大影响。

Cáifá duì jīngjì yǒu jùdà yǐngxiǎng.

Financial cliques have a huge impact on the economy.

那个门工厂生产优质产品。

Nàgè fá mén gōngchǎng shēngchǎn yōuzhì chǎnpǐn.

That valve factory produces high-quality products.

在历史上,军割据是常见现象。

Zài lìshǐ shàng, jūnfá gējù shì chángjiàn xiànxiàng.

In history, warlord separatist rule was a common phenomenon.

这些财通过垄断市场获取利润。

Zhèxiē cáifá tōngguò lǒngduàn shìchǎng huòqǔ lìrùn.

These financial cliques obtain profits by monopolizing the market.